Founded on Thee Our Only Lord
Founded on Thee, our only Lord
The hymn confesses Christ as the sole foundation of the church and emphasizes the continuity of apostolic faith through Scripture and the church's confession. It reflects Grundtvig's conviction that the church rests not upon human structures but upon the Rock who is Christ.
History & Background
Written by N.F.S. Grundtvig in 1837 as part of his hymnic output celebrating the church's apostolic foundations. The hymn was translated into English by the LCMS Doctrine Committee for inclusion in The Lutheran Hymnal (1941).
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Worship — 283
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 637
Translation
Doctrine Committee of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
Bulletin Note
Grundtvig's 1837 hymn anchors the church in apostolic faith and Christ's promise. The tune KIRKEN DEN ER ET GAMMELT HUS—"The Church Is an Ancient House"—carries Danish Lutheran identity and continuity across centuries.
Preaching Connection
This hymn embodies the Gospel's radical comfort: the church's stability rests not on human faithfulness but on Christ's unshakeable promise, freeing us from the burden of self-preservation and calling us to apostolic witness.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Proclamation of Christ's Church as eternally founded on the Rock (Matthew 16:18), immovable amid historical upheaval, sustained by grace rather than human institutions, demanding faithful living in confidence of salvation
Themes
Church foundation in Christ Unity of the church Apostolic faith Scripture and tradition